The Navarre Beach Fishing Pier runs out into the Gulf from 8579 Gulf Blvd. Its deck sits 30 feet above the water, and the octagonal platform at the end covers about 3,800 square feet. According to Navarre Press, it was the first thing in Santa Rosa County to feel Hurricane Isaias, with winds over 100 mph and storm surge. By last Sunday afternoon, the daily pier report listed whiting, redfish, pompano, Spanish mackerel, black drum and cobia caught from the rail.
The storm cost the pier eleven days, and that interruption is over. The next limit is the calendar. Winter hours start Nov. 6 and shorten the day. A surf tournament on Nov. 14 moves some of the fishing down the beach to the Blue Heron Pavilion. Planning the rest of this fall's fishing comes down to those two dates.
Eleven days between closed and open
Here is how the reopening went:
- Friday, Oct. 9. Santa Rosa County closed the pier for Friday and Saturday as Isaias arrived.
- Wednesday, Oct. 14. Navarre Press published drone footage by Jason Stanley showing sections of the pier missing.
- Sunday, Oct. 18. The county's Hurricane Isaias Update #17 announced the reopening schedule.
- Tuesday, Oct. 20. The pier reopened daily from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anglers were asked to bring their own ice "until further notice."
- Thursday, Oct. 22. The county expected bait to be back in stock by this date.
The pier was built to give a little in storms like this one. The deck is made of more than 800 breakaway wood panels. Each one is six feet long, cut from grade 1 southern yellow pine, and designed to lift out in heavy waves so wave pressure doesn't push against the whole structure. The pilings enter the sand at a 20-degree angle for stability. The county's reopening notice covered hours, ice and bait. It did not say which sections were lost or how far out you can walk today. If you usually fish the octagon, ask at the attendant building before carrying a cooler and three rods the full length.
The rest of the island had a mixed week. The Pensacola News Journal described damage on Navarre Beach as hit or miss. Some homes lost siding and shingles. Other homes looked untouched. The county's Oct. 22 update says parks not on its closure list are open, except for marked caution areas, and it asks visitors to watch for debris.
What came over the rail the first weekend back
Randy Meredith posts a pier report on Navarre Newspaper every day and updates it as the day goes on. Here is what his first full weekend of reports looked like:
| Report | Caught | Conditions noted |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 24 | Bluefish, octopus, redfish, shark, black drum | |
| Sunday, Oct. 25, as of 3 p.m. | Whiting, redfish, pompano, Spanish mackerel, black drum, cobia | Yellow flag, 1 to 4 ft waves, water 78°, NE wind 7 to 16 mph, "water is clearing" |
Across those two days the rail produced redfish and black drum both days, plus pompano, Spanish mackerel and cobia on Sunday alone. With the water at 78° and clearing two weeks after a hurricane, there's no reason to treat this as a season to wait out.
On Sunday the report listed the best fishing times as 6 to 7 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 5 to 6 p.m. Sunrise was at 6:56 a.m. and sunset at 6:06 p.m. Those three windows matter for the hours change below.
The schedule is the next thing to change
There are three sets of hours posted right now:
- The county's reopening schedule. 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, starting Oct. 20.
- The daily pier report. Since at least Oct. 22, Navarre Newspaper has listed the pier as open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. That matches the pier's posted summer hours.
- The pier's winter hours. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., "Effective November 6."
Taking the summer schedule as the baseline, winter hours cut three hours a day. One hour comes off before dawn and two come off at night. With the 5 a.m. opening, you can be set up on the rail before the 6 to 7 a.m. window starts. Starting Friday, Nov. 6, the gate opens at 6 a.m., at the very start of that window, so the dawn setup time disappears. The 5 to 6 p.m. window still fits easily before the 9 p.m. close.
The late-night session loses the most, two hours a night. If you've been heading out after dinner and fishing under the lights, you have about a week left of the late closing time. The pier has over 90 low-wattage, turtle-friendly lights set into concrete bollards every 35 feet, so night fishing is lit. After Nov. 6, those evenings end at 9.
With hours from the county, the pier website and the daily report all in circulation, check what's posted at the attendant building on the day you go.
Nov. 14 moves the fishing to the surf
Eight days after winter hours start, the fishing moves east to the sand. Cast for a Cause, the Derrick Stone Memorial Surf Fishing Tournament, is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Blue Heron Pavilion on Navarre Beach. Together We Thrive, Inc. is hosting.
The details from the organizer's event page:
- Line drop: 6:30 a.m.
- Weigh-in: by 1:30 p.m.
- Awards: 2 p.m.
- Entry: $30 for adults 12 and up, $15 for youth 11 and under
- Prizes: first, second and third place in both divisions
The Navarre Beach Area Chamber's listing gives a 1:30 p.m. awards time, so go by the organizer's page as the day gets closer. The tournament supports Derrick Stone Safe Sleep and Together We Thrive's child-safety education and prevention work. The presenting sponsors are Florida Health – Santa Rosa County and Cribs for Kids. Other sponsors include FishBites, Eglin Federal Credit Union, British Swim School of Greater Pensacola, SeaChange Mental Health, IDump.Co Dumpster Rental, Z96 and Tin Can Beverage Co.
The tournament fits the pier's winter schedule. Line drop is at 6:30 a.m., the same morning window the pier report has been listing, and the event is wrapped up by mid-afternoon. On that Saturday you can fish the surf in the morning and still walk the pier for the 5 p.m. window.
Before you walk out
These are the pier's own rules and prices, plus what the county asked anglers to do after the storm:
- Bring ice. As of the county's Oct. 18 notice, the pier had no ice "until further notice."
- Know the gate price. Fishing admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and active-duty military, $4 for youth 15 and under, and free for children 5 and under. A Florida fishing license is included. Disabled veterans and mobility- or visually-impaired visitors get in free. A walking pass is $1. Rod rental and bait are available at the pier store.
- Check the flag on the beach. The report notes that the flag color can change during the day.
- Leave the bananas in the car and don't feed the birds. Both requests are printed at the top of every daily report.
- Keep scraps and line off the water. According to the pier's information page, it sits in federally designated critical habitat for Gulf sturgeon. Throwing fish waste, bait or monofilament overboard is prohibited, and there are recycling stations for old line on the deck.
Meredith asks anglers to email catch photos to [email protected], and he posts daily updates on his Facebook page. Watching that report through Nov. 6 is a quick way to see whether the pompano and Spanish mackerel are still around before the winter schedule starts.
A morning on the pier is part of daily life near Gulf Blvd. If you're thinking about what life on or near Navarre Beach could look like for you, Sherry Smith would be glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.
